Frequently Asked Questions
General Immigration FAQs
If you are planning to come to the UK to visit, work, study or join family members you may need to apply for a UK visa. Anyone can apply for a visa, but the application will need to be approved before you travel. We can help you with every step of the visa application process ensuring you are ready to travel when you plan to.
The type of visa you need will depend on the country you are from, what you are planning to do while in the UK and how long you want to stay for. There are a range of different visas from Student and Graduate Visas to Skilled Worker Visas and Family Visas. Our team of experts will be able to advise on the eligibility and suitability requirements and costs and we can also handle the application process for you.
Once we have heard back about the decision of your application, we will be in touch with you straight away to outline the next steps. The decision process can take a number of months so it is important to get your application in with plenty of time before you plan to travel.
We will keep you updated throughout the entire process so you will always know where your application is up to.
A Graduate Visa allows international student graduates to look for work in the UK for two/three years. We can support you in applying for your Graduate Visa by offering advice or handling the entire process, saving you any stress.
Visas are issued with an expiration date and will expire after this date. The length of time on your visa will depend on the type of visa you have. For example, a Child Student Visa can last up to six years whereas a Visitor Visa can expire after six months. If your visa is set to expire, you will need to reapply or you will no longer be allowed to stay in the UK. We can help with this process.
Applying for a visa can be a stressful experience however our team of experts don’t just follow the legislation , they have been through this process themselves.
“Having endured the daunting experience to successfully complete the processes, I now understood from first-hand experience the frustration students and their families may feel due to the complexity of the immigration system.” – Jeferson Zigart – Immigration Adviser
They have the empathy required to assist you during this stressful time as well as the knowledge and experience to help process your application and the supporting documents at a faster rate. Working together makes all the difference.
Yes. Dependants can join you on a variety of visas. However, your partner and/or children will need to provide their own application which will need to include proof of their relationship with you. Our team also provide services for your dependant’s applications.
This will vary depending on the specific visa you are applying for. Some visas only last 6 months whereas others can last up to 6 years but our team can provide you with a more accurate timescale.
These times will vary, depending on the type of visa you have applied for. A child student visa can take up to 3 weeks, whilst settlement visas can take months. Holmes & Partners Ltd. visa application services can help cut down the time it takes to compile your application ready to send to the Home Office.
In most cases, your visa can be extended. This is dependent on your eligibility criteria and if you have stayed to the maximum on your chosen route already.
Whilst your question might not be on here, our team of visa and immigration experts keep up to date on ever-changing legislation and have the knowledge and resources to answer your question. Contact us on 0113 898 0360 or complete our contact form here.
Business Immigration FAQs
Organisations should review their HR processes, right-to-work checks and recruitment processes against Home Office guidance. They should also ensure full compliance with sponsor duties by reporting changes through the Sponsorship Management System (SMS), regularly auditing records and providing training for HR staff.
For complete peace of mind, partner with a UK immigration consultancy such as Holmes & Partners. We can conduct mock audits to identify gaps in your processes and recommend changes to keep you compliant.
The individual must first secure a job with a Home Office-approved sponsor and meet the Skilled Worker visa requirements, including salary threshold, skill level and English language proficiency. The employer will issue a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), allowing the individual to apply for a skilled worker visa.
We can support businesses through Home Office requirements, sponsor licence applications and ongoing compliance to meet all immigration obligations and confidently sponsor skilled workers.
When hiring skilled workers, UK businesses should check the Home Office guidance for the relevant Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes for the advertised role and ensure the salary meets the required threshold. Employers should identify the correct SOC code that aligns with the job description, core responsibilities and skill level.
To confidently navigate the requirements, partner with an expert immigration consultant, such as Holmes & Partners, to minimise the risk of sponsor licence suspension or revocation.
If your business receives a warning letter from the Home Office, it is important to act quickly. Ensure that you review the raised concerns, gather the requested documentation and address any compliance issues within the specified timeframe.
Seeking professional advice from a business immigration consultancy can help ensure your response is thorough, minimise the risk of licence suspension or revocation and put the right processes in place to maintain ongoing compliance.
When significant changes happen to a sponsored employee’s role, salary or work location, you may need to notify the Home Office or assign a new Certificate of Sponsorship, depending on the nature of the change. Failure to report these updates could breach sponsorship requirements and put your licence at risk.
Speak to us about reviewing changes to skilled worker roles and salary thresholds to ensure your business remains fully compliant.
If a sponsored worker wants to change employers, the current sponsor must notify the Home Office and report the change via the Sponsor Management System (SMS) within ten days of the employment ending.
The employee must secure a new Certificate of Sponsorship from their new employer and apply to update their visa before they start their new role.
Losing your sponsor licence can significantly impact your business operations and your employees’ work status. Sponsored workers’ visas are typically curtailed, requiring affected employees to leave the UK, switch visas or find new employment within 60 days.
Businesses also lose the ability to sponsor new workers and are subject to a cooling-off period of 12-24 months before they can apply for a new sponsor licence.
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Our skilled and friendly team are ready to answer all of your questions and to fully support you during your visa application process. Contact our team today for advice and support.